Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem(9/7/19)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 9/7/19 | left that other site

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

(Old Testament)

Daniel 2

Daniel Interprets the Dream

24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these:

29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.

Footnotes:

1. Daniel 2:2 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 4, 5 and 10
2. Daniel 2:3 Or was
3. Daniel 2:4 At this point the Hebrew text has in Aramaic, indicating that the text from here through the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic.

New International Version (NIV)(End of Scripture Passage)



The Dream is Interpreted as a Foretaste of the Rise and Fall of Empires.

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind.

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Our Father,
Who Art In Heaven,
How Blessed and Glorious is Your Holy Name!
You Are Wonderful,
Almighty and All Knowing,
Heaven and Earth Sing of Your Glory!

There is No Place Too Deep Or Dark, Lord,
No Prison on Earth,
Or Under it,
Or Even Within The Dark Secret Places
of The Human Heart,
That You Can Not Reach.
Your Depth and Profundity are Unsearchable,
Your Fountains Of Mercy Reach beyond Any Created Place or Thing.

Our Fear of You,
Father, is That of Reverence and Awe
Overwhelmed by Your Glory,
Overcome With Gratitude For Your Great Mercy and Love!
You Are Holy, Righteous and Just,
Yet Full of Mercy,
Compassion,
Forgiveness,
and Love! How Wonderful and Awesome You Are!

We Watch, And Wait, And Pray, Dear Father,
For The Peace of Jerusalem,
According to Your Will and Promise.
We Pray For Our own Beloved USA,
That we will experience Revival and Repentance
from our Laziness and Complacency.
We pray for Our leaders, and the Leaders of Israel,
That You Will lead Them By Your Holy Spirit.

We Pray For Our President,
And other Leaders of Our Beloved USA
May They Receive Wisdom from You
To do the Right Thing.
We Pray For The Swift and Sure Coming of Messiah,
Blessed Be He,
To Establish His Kingdom,
and Make All Things Right.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

While searching for images to decorate Today's Thread, I had to reject quite a few of them. This was not because of copyright issues (which is the usual reason!), or "bad art" (which is another good reason), but because of some of the labeling, particularly of the feet of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's Dream.

Of course, most commentators get the other parts of the statue correct, because it's right there in Daniel's magnificent discourse on the meaning of the Dream. They are, as follows:

1. The Head of Gold. This is the autocratic rule of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruled by Nebuchadnezzar himself. Since a man can only have one head, and gold is the most valued of metals, a "Head of Gold" is a perfect description of a glittering empire ruled by a sole, all-powerful, king.

2. The Shoulders and Chest of Silver. Silver is valuable, but not quite as valuable as gold. Not only that, but now the power of kingship is divided between the Medes and the Persians (Two Shoulders). As we continue in the Book of Daniel, we will see the Medes and Persians sweep into power right after "The Handwriting on the Wall".

3. The Belly and Thighs of Bronze. Bronze is a wonderfully strong and useful metal, and much more practical for weapons and tools than silver or gold. It is, however, not considered as "precious". So, as the "preciousness" of the metals DECREASE, the "strength and practicality" of the metals INCREASE. Danial interprets this as the Greek Power, which nearly all Bible scholars accept as the Conquests of Alexander The Great. There is even an apocryphal story that the High Priest in Jerusalem was not surprised when Alexander marched into town, because he had already read the Book of Daniel and knew it was going to happen. This is further supported by the "belly" branching off into two thighs, just as Alexander's Kingdom split off into the Ptolemies and the Seleucids.

4. The Legs of Iron. Iron is the perfect metal to symbolize the Roman Empire. Though not pretty, Iron is strong, durable, and is a symbol of power and endurance (Like an "Iron-Clad Agreement" or an "Iron Will"). It has come down from the Ancients to be a metaphor for strength, but iron also RUSTS. That makes it the most corruptible in this hierarchy of metals, and makes the empire the most likely to be destroyed, not by a foreign power, but from within.

5. The Feet and Ten Toes of Iron Mixed With Clay. Here's where the illustrations differ and had cause to be rejected in my search. Iron and Clay don't really mix, so the alliance is fragile and will crumble easily. Since Daniel doesn't NAME the iron and clay empire, various illustrators have seen fit to put their OWN name on it. Some called it the late Roman Empire which was overrun by Barbarians. Some called it Medieval Christendom, with its divisions of East and West (Two Feet). Some called it The European Union (Ten Toes). Some called it related to the Reformation (two feet again), and others refer to it as the UN.

Whatever the identity of the two feet and ten toes could be, there is NO QUESTION about the "Rock Not Made With Human Hands". We even know that The Messiah is also called "The Rock of My Salvation", and He is going to have a lot more impact than even the space-rock that supposedly killed off all the dinosaurs (that's the latest "theory" about their disappearance, by the way).

Elsewhere in Scripture, The Rock is described:

For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (1 Peter 2:6,NIV)

And Here:

(Genesis 49:24) Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

And Here:

(Isaiah 28:16) So this is what the Lord GOD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.

And Here Too!

(Zechariah 10:4) The cornerstone will come from Judah, the tent peg from him, as well as the battle bow and every ruler together.

There are many more references, in Isaiah, Luke, Romans, and Psalms that refer to the Messiah as "The Rock". It could be a whole separate study!

Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance! (Psalm 33)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Silentgypsy]

Amen and thank you.

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Silentgypsy, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance! (Psalm 33)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[etabeta]

Joining in prayer. God bless.

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Etabeta, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance! (Psalm 33)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Hiskid]

Amen

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Hiskid, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance! (Psalm 33)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[blueyon]

Amen

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, blueyon, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance! (Psalm 33)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Louis Foxwell]

Thank you for sharing your blessing. You are a faithful teacher of the Word.

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Louis Foxwell, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance! (Psalm 33)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS